1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a guide rail for receiving a GBIC module therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,173, issued to Poplawski et, al. on Mar. 9, 1999, discloses a receptacle or guide rail for receiving a removeable optoelectronic module therein. FIGS. 10, 15, and 16 disclose a guide rail 372 having a box configuration, while FIGS. 14, 17 and 18 disclose another type of guide rail. U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,999, issued to Kayner on Jun. 16, 1998, discloses another type of guide rail for receiving a removeable optoelectronic module therein. Both Poplawski et, al. and Kayner disclose an electrical connector adapted for electrically engaging with a GBIC module received in the guide rail. The electrical connector is mounted on a printed circuit board by solders and does not engage with the guide rail, so is not supported by the guide rail. Therefore, when the GBIC module mates with the electrical connector, the mounting tails of the contacts of the electrical connector are subject to a force by the GBIC module which may destroy the connection between the mounting tails and the mounting pads on the printed circuit board.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,172, issued to Babineau et al. on Apr. 4, 2000, suggests an arrangement of guide rails in two rows, as shown in FIG. 2 of Babineau. (Note that only one layer is clearly illustrated.) The upper guide rails would be mounted on an upper printed circuit board, while the lower guide rails would be mounted on a lower printed circuit board. Although Babineau et al. suggests the idea of arranging the guide rails in two different levels, the implementation of this idea is not cost effective because two different printed circuit boards are required.
Hence, an improved guide rail for receiving a GBIC module is required.
An object of the present invention is to provide a guide rail which firmly supports a connector included therein.
To obtain the above object, a guide rail mountable onto a printed circuit board and adapted for receiving a GBIC module therein comprises a frame and an electrical connector engageably fixed to the frame. The frame has two side beams, a rear beam connecting the side beams and a receiving space defined between the two side beams and the rear beam for receiving the GBIC module therein. The frame defines a port at a front portion thereof for entrance of the GBIC module. The electrical connector has a mating portion adapted for mating with the GBIC module and a mounting portion adapted for mounting to a printed circuit board. The side beams each define a receiving slot in an inner wall thereof and the connector has a pair of ribs at the two opposite side ends thereof. The ribs are fixedly received in the respective receiving slots, thereby fixing the connector to the guide rail.
The guide rail has a metallic cover attached to the frame for providing EMI shielding to the GBIC module. The connector has an ear portion at a top thereof and the metallic cover has a hook engaging with the ear portion to further retain the connector to the frame.
The connector is fixed to the frame prior to mounting onto the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board defines a cutout and the frame has a section sinking into the cutout to obtain a lower profile over the printed circuit board. The frame has two pairs of side lugs at opposite sides thereof supported by the printed circuit board. The side lugs are fastened onto the printed circuit board by two pairs of bolts.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.